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The New Era of e-Learning II- Interactive Learning and Assessment for Learning

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The New Era of e-Learning Vol. II

Interactive Learning and Assessment for Learning

1st Edition: 2014

Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-988-15045-7-9

Editor: Dr. Wilton Fok

Co-editor: Wong Ivy Hay Mun

Co-authors: Au Yeung Hoi Hang, Thomas Merchant,

Dr. Cecilia KY Chan, Dr. James Tsoi,

Dr. Jacqueline CK Lam, Lo Hiu Ying

Hidy, Lei Ming

Cover design: Law Kam Yuen

Publisher: Department of Electrical and Electronic

Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,

The University of Hong Kong

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Table of Contents

................................................................................................... 6 1.1. Evolution of e-Learning Models ................................................................... 8 1.1.1. Student-to-Machine Model .................................................................. 8 1.1.2. Student to Student (S2S) Model ........................................................... 9 1.1.3. Interactive Class ................................................................................. 10 1.2. Interactive Massive Open Online Courses ................................................. 11

..................................... 16 ...................................................................... 21

Mode of assessments .................................................................................. 21 3.1.

Assessment for Learning – Peer Review ........................................... 21 3.1.1.

Assessment as Learning – Interactive Quiz ....................................... 22 3.1.2.

Assessment of Learning – Pen-based Written Feedback ................... 23 3.1.3.

............................................................................ 24 3.2.Assessment for Learning

Formative Assessment and Summative Assessment ......................... 25 3.2.1.

Formative Assessment and Data Analysis .................................................. 26 3.3.

Question level analysis ....................................................................... 27 3.3.1.

Student level analysis ......................................................................... 27 3.3.2.

Class level analysis............................................................................. 28 3.3.3.

............................................................... 32 Learning with e-stickers.............................................................................. 32 4.1.

Recording your answers.............................................................................. 34 4.2.

Co-creation of music ................................................................................... 36 4.3.

Learning in Off-line Mode .......................................................................... 38 4.4.

.................................................. 38 4.5.Conducting Multidimensional Discussion

How does it work ............................................................................... 38 4.5.1.

Facilitating different types of discussion ........................................... 40 4.5.2.

One-dimensional Discussion .............................................................. 40 4.5.3.

Two-dimensional Discussion ............................................................. 40 4.5.4.

SWOT Analysis .................................................................................. 41 4.5.5.

PESTEL Analysis ............................................................................... 42 4.5.6.

... 45 The Use and Benefits of Interactive Technology ....................................... 45 5.1.

Increasing In-class Interactivity: the PEOE Model ............................ 45 5.1.1.

Visualizing abstract concepts: simulation/animated images .............. 47 5.1.2.

Promoting collaborative learning: Data Logging .............................. 49 5.1.3.

Supporting Self-directed Learning ..................................................... 51 5.1.4.

The Role of Interactive Technology ........................................................... 51 5.2.

............................................ 54 Case study: Faculty of Medicine ................................................................ 54 6.1.

Case study: Faculty of Dentistry ................................................................. 60 6.2.

Case study: Centre of Journalism and Media Studies ................................ 64 6.3.

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Case study: Faculty of Engineering ............................................................ 66 6.4.

Case study: School of Biology ................................................................... 69 6.5.

Case study: Master of Science Electrical and Electronic Engineering ....... 72 6.6.

Case study: Master of Science – Energy Engineering ................................ 73 6.7.

Case Study: Faculty of Engineering ........................................................... 75 6.8.

............................................................ 79 7.1. Kwun Tong Government Primary School (Sau Ming Road) ..................... 79 7.1.1. Example 1 – Fitting and Dissecting Shapes ....................................... 80 7.1.2. Example 2 – Measuring Areas ........................................................... 81 7.1.3. Teaching and Learning Effectiveness ................................................ 81 7.2. Po Leung Kuk Chee Jing Yin Primary School ........................................... 83 7.2.1. Example 1 – Space and Directions in Mathematics ........................... 84 7.2.2. Example 2 – Writing Activities in English ........................................ 85 7.2.3. Teaching and Learning Effectiveness ................................................ 87

................................................................. 90 8.1. Case 1: Yingxiu Secondary School ............................................................ 90 8.2. Case 2: Deyang Yuanjia School ................................................................. 92 8.3. Case 3: Zhengdong Street Kindergarten ..................................................... 93 8.4. Case 4: Hangzhou No.14 Secondary School, Hangzhou, Zhejiang ........... 94

....................................................................................... 98 ................................................................................................. 100 .................................................................................... 101

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Chapter 1: Introduction

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Traditionally, e-Learning tends to be considered as supplementary to

teaching and learning by bringing technology into the classroom.

Computers, smartphones or other electronic devices are often taken as

technological tools applied in class to assist lesson flow, rather than as the

main focus of either teaching or learning. E-Learning has yet to be

reckoned or explored by teachers and schools as a serious pedagogy that

has vast potential in elevating the classroom experience to a whole new

level.

Teaching and learning with a special focus on e-Learning includes the

process of designing, planning, sequencing and coordinating learning

tasks through the diverse use of various e-Learning tools. E-Learning not

only enhances the effectiveness of learning but more importantly,

supports and promotes the development and design of other learning tools.

The benefits are manifold. While students are better engaged in class,

teachers also have the chance to review their teaching strategies and have

more interaction with their students.

Evolution of learning device: from desktop to tablet

The growing popularity of iPad, iPhone, other tablet PC and smartphone

devices has explained the increasing importance of their roles in the e-

Learning process. iClass, as an effective tool to facilitate e-Learning and

bring about an interactive class experience, is now employed in some of

our classes for trial. The system has prompted us to see its potential in

http://www.google.com.hk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=8U_QR9R_NZrB7M&tbnid=NaCsZu1gXrErFM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://variedzone.blogspot.com/p/tablet-pc.html&ei=d6fGUt_CO7CXiQeWroHwDQ&psig=AFQjCNFjfrP4wsJ-z1ObNgt-MKz9Qq5Rvw&ust=1388837105257612

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being developed as a useful platform to connect and coordinate different

stages of the learning process, from class preparation, inner class

interaction, task implementation to after-class assignment and

performance review.

With iClass providing functions such as drawing and peer review, we are

now proposing and developing a task-based approach for teaching and

learning as opposed to the conventional problem-based one. Problem-

based learning (PBL) is a student-centered pedagogy in which students

learn about a subject in the context of complex, multifaceted, and realistic

problems. The goals of PBL are to help students acquire and apply

flexible knowledge, as well as develop effective problem solving skills,

self-directed learning, effective collaboration skills and intrinsic

motivation. On the other hand, task-based approach (TBL) brings about

an alternative classroom experience. Instead of having the teachers

brainstorm and decide what will be studied, TBL promotes learner-based

learning and encourages collaboration among students through

completing multiple tasks in pairs or groups.

Besides improving the classroom dynamics, iClass enables teachers to

give timely feedback to the class. After students submit their answers

using the keywords or MC functions of the system, pie charts or bar

charts displaying the results can be generated immediately. This gives

teachers a clear picture of the overall progress and understanding of the

class, allowing them to clarify points or provide remarks to answer doubts

and correct misunderstanding, at the time when students still have fresh

memory of the issues discussed in class. Furthermore, with the

introduction of a peer review function, not only teachers have the

opportunity to review students’ performance but also students themselves.

Students can view and rate their classmates’ work to get inspirations from

them, learn from others’ strengths and improve their own works. These

functions, in allowing students to have immediate response and feedback

from teachers and fellow classmates, help to shorten the feedback loop

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and thus promote self-learning and evaluation awareness among students.

With iClass, students can personalize their learning experience and adopt

whatever study pace they feel comfortable with, thereby encouraging

them to be independent learners who take the initiative to learn, evaluate

and improve. Learning is no way restricted to the confines of a classroom,

and we aim to extend the system beyond the walls of a classroom so that

it will also be accessible from home, allowing students to learn at anytime,

anywhere.

1.1. Evolution of e-Learning Models

E-Learning as the latest mode of teaching and learning has become more

and more familiar to the general public in recent years. Thanks to the

rapid development in computer science and information technology, real-

time communications via mobile devices ranging from PC, laptop to

smart-phone has been integrated into our daily life, further liberating e-

Learning from temporal and spatial restrictions. The concept of

“interactive class” promoted and realized by our iClass system is a

vigorous sprout growing on the giant tree of e-Learning. Before entering

the world of iClass, let’s have a journey through the history of e-Learning.

1.1.1. Student-to-Machine Model

E-Learning can support various study modes, such as distance learning,

self-study or independent learning, edutainment, interactive learning and

so on. Computer and internet can lead us into the universe of knowledge

where multimedia technology has revolutionized the form of information

and web 2.0 interactivity has enhanced our learning experience. However,

when e-Learning was still in its infancy, it was not as colorful or

interesting as the ones we see nowadays.

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Student-machine Model

Traditionally, e-Learning systems always adopted the Student-to-machine

(S2M) model. Students learned from PC without any human interaction

or internet connection. Learning materials were stored in a floppy disk, a

CD or a DVD. Students could insert the disk into the computer, go

through the materials on the screen or complete the exercises.

Later on, as the internet was further developed, students were able to

access online information with their computers. However, at this stage,

real-time communications or interactions were still unavailable, which

meant that the internet was a huge library with computer as the browser,

while readers in the same library could not share their experience or

knowledge.

1.1.2. Student to Student (S2S) Model

You may still remember the time when everyone was talking about BBS,

online forums and chat rooms, when people had the fantastic experience

of communicating with someone living on the other side of the globe. At

this stage, e-Learning entered the Student-to-Student (S2S) model. With

the help of instant messaging websites, students could share their

opinions and knowledge with other students and even teachers. This was

the first time when e-Learning entailed elements of person-to-person

interaction via computers.

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Student to Student (S2S) Model

Up till today, e-Learning of this form is still active in daily teaching

practices. Learning management systems such as Moodle and Blackboard

are able to group teachers and students from one class together. Teachers

can put up syllabus, announcements, assignments etc. on the forum while

students can express their ideas on a certain topic by replying to the

questions posted. They can share their views and learn from each other’s

ideas.

1.1.3. Interactive Class

Can online interaction become an organic part of routine class? iClass is

the answer to this question. Aiming to provide a convenient, user-friendly

and efficient platform for everyday interaction, iClass makes real-time

communication and knowledge sharing between teachers and students

and among students handier and more interesting.

Interactive class model

Using mobile devices such as iPhone, iPad and Android smartphones,

teachers can post questions or assignment in class and students can

respond immediately. Moreover, teachers can review students’ work as

soon as they submit it. Students can view peers’ work and share their

works via social platform like Facebook. With modules such as Drawing,

Keywords, MC Questions, Peer Review and Web Browser, a wide variety

of in-class activities can be conducted. Other than academic activities,

extra-curriculum activities or groups such as Mobile Quiz Game or

debate team can be well-supported by the system. More examples will be

provided in the Case Studies session in this book.

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Conducting interactive class at HKU

1.2. Interactive Massive Open Online Courses

Since last year, the interactive class model has been developed one step

further with the emergence of MOOCs, the latest higher education

buzzword. In a MOOC, students participate in an open class accessible to

all for free. The pedagogical approach of most MOOC is simple: students

view video-taped lectures online, complete assignments which are then

marked by a digital auto-grader or peers, and in some cases participate in

discussion forums after class. As Laura Pappano notes in her article in

New York Times, while traditional online courses charge tuition, carry

credit and limit enrollment to a few dozen to ensure interaction with

instructors, MOOC is often free-of-charge, non credit bearing and

massive. In other words, class size is expanded on an unprecedented scale,

and the level of interaction is greatly heightened with the increased

enrollment quota.

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MOOC Model

MOOCs have revolutionized higher education and its benefits are well

recognized. For instance, quality education is made accessible to virtually

unlimited students across the globe at a low unit course (Wall Street

Journal), empowering them with education in pursuit of better livelihood.

Moreover, taking a course online increases the level of interaction and

creates a dynamic environment for learning. As Mitchell Duneier, a

professor of sociology at Princeton University observed from his

experience teaching MOOC, discussions were more vigorous and lively

online than in traditional classroom settings. As he writes, “when I give

this lecture on the Princeton campus, I usually receive a few penetrating

questions. In this case, however, within a few hours of posting the online

version, the course forums came alive with hundreds of comments and

questions . . . later there were thousands. The software allowed me to take

note of those that generated the most discussion . . . to see the issues that

were most meaningful to my students” (The Chronicle of Higher

Education). In other words, MOOC serves as a useful tool for the teacher

to identify students’ learning interests while at the same time provides a

favorable setting for students to participate in productive discussions.

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MOOC encourages collaborative learning not only between students, but

equally importantly, between institutions by promoting the distribution

and exchange of knowledge. Expertise no longer resides with the few

elite universities but can be shared by all, enabling professors to learn

from others how the same course materials are approached and taught. In

today’s highly networked and globally connected world, online learning

is becoming the new paradigm in teaching, and collaboration and

communication between peer institutions will help develop better

pedagogy and practices in making use of this new medium to improve

classroom experience.

Due to the large amount of student enrollments, the instructional design

of MOOCs has to be supported by a system that enables large-scale

feedback and interaction. To achieve this, it often relies on peer review

and group collaboration, as well as automated feedback through objective

online assessments. In light of this, iClass has the potential of being

developed as a MOOC provider that gives an interactive platform for elite

institutions to offer their education to the rest of the world. While most of

the existing MOOC models still feature one-way learning in which

students listen to the lecture passively, iClass enables institutions to host

an interactive MOOC that allows immediate feedback. It encompasses a

variety of interactive and multimedia features such as drawing and peer

review, allowing students to conduct discussions and share their work on

the platform. The Multiple Choice Question feature also enables lecturers

to design online quizzes for assessment purpose. While MOOC model is

often critiqued for its lack of interaction between teacher and student, the

interactive functions of iClass, such as Keyword, could address this

limitation by promoting real-time, direct interaction between students and

instructors. More details on these features are introduced in this book’s

later session as well as the user manual published earlier.

In a latest report titled An Avalanche is Coming: Higher Education and

the Revolution Ahead, David Glance, in discussing the pedagogy of

MOOC, rebuts its critics by reaffirming the possibility of interaction in a

virtual environment. As he writes, “people will argue that you don’t get

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the same interaction [in MOOC] as in a face-to-face environment. But the

vast majority of our students elect never to show up on campus as we

record our lectures and don’t force participation. In terms of project work

– they organize themselves digitally – they set up a Facebook group, meet

over Google+ hangouts and Skype, and occasionally in person. This

really changes the need for face-to-face interaction.” Just as how the

proliferation of social networking sites dramatically transforms the

dynamics of social interaction, it will not be long until the emergence of

MOOCs revolutionizes the conventional classroom experience in this

digital era.

References

i. Pappano, Laura. “The Year of the MOOC.” The New York

Times. Web. 2 Nov. 2012.

ii. “The Opportunities – and Risks – in the MOOC Business

Model.” The Wall Street Journal. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.

iii. Duneier, Mitchell. “Teaching to the World from Central New

Jersey.” The Chronicle of High Education. Web. 3 Sep. 2012.

iv. “Coursera Founder and UBC Professors Discuss MOOCs

Space.” The University of British Columbia. Web. 21 Aug. 2013.

v. Barber, Michael, Katelyn Donnelly and Saad Rizvi. An

Avalanche is Coming: Higher Education and the Revolution

Ahead. US: Institute of Public Policy Research. Web. 11 Mar.

2013.

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Chapter 2: iClass An Interactive Mobile

Learning Platform

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iClass is an e-Learning platform on cloud. It is a revolutionary tool that

can change the dynamics of teaching and learning in the classroom. By

using tablets and smartphones, interaction between teacher and students

becomes more interesting and efficient than ever.

In the past, it is neither convenient nor effective to conduct an interactive

class in a real-time environment, especially in a large class. Feeling

intimidated or embarrassed, students are often reluctant to share their

ideas or answer questions. With iClass, students can use their smart

devices to express ideas. They can write text, draw pictures, share photos,

record audio notes, or even work on an interactive e-book or online quiz.

Once submitted, their finished works can be shared in the classroom’s

projector screen for further discussion or elaboration.

All the activities created are stored in the LMS (learning management

system), through which the teacher can manage all learning materials in

different courses or topics conveniently and systematically. Teachers can

also share multimedia resources with the class, including video and audio

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clips, images, and various kinds of files such as PowerPoint, Word, Excel,

PDF etc.

Teacher Platform collects responses from students. Data will be

processed and marked automatically in real time, and the resulted text or

image will be posted on the screen. Different kinds of presentation

methods, such as pie chart, tag cloud or list view, help teachers visualize

the textual ideas of the class. Results can be exported in ZIP or CSV

format and saved for future use. By the end of the class, students can

learn from their peers by rating, sharing and commenting on one

another’s works.

2.1. Features of iClass

Some of the modules and features of iClass are listed as follows:

Drawings:

Teachers can upload graphics or worksheet to the platform

while students can complete the worksheet in the built-in

canvas. After that, students can submit their work to the

cloud for marking. Teacher can project the students’ work to

the projector’s screen to facilitate class discussion or other

kinds of interactive activities.

e-Book:

Teacher can upload the notes to the cloud in PDF format.

Students can download the e-book using their smart devices.

They can jot notes during the lesson and share their notes to

the class anytime they wish.

Keywords:

This module is particularly useful for brainstorming activities.

Students can submit keywords to the platform. iClass

generates real-time statistic in different graphical formats,

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such as tag cloud or pie chart. This presents a clear view of the overall

ideas of the class, enabling students and teachers to conduct in-depth

discussions more effectively.

Audio

This module is helpful in language learning. Students can read

a passage, record their voice and submit their clips to the

system. After receiving the audio clips from students, teachers

can listen to them, correct their pronunciation or provide other

kinds of feedback.

MC Questions:

Teachers can post multiple-choice questions to the cloud at

anytime, anywhere. The platform marks students’ answer

automatically and generates statistics instantly to reflect the

learning progress of a student and overall performance of the

class.

Quiz:

Teachers can create a quiz with a time limit. Question types

include matching, fill in the blanks, multiple choices and

numerical questions. The system automatically marks the paper

based on the model answers provided by teachers. Data analysis

is carried out at the same time, producing a class report for the

teacher’s reference.

Peer Review:

Students can view, share, rate and comment on fellow

classmates’ works. This mode of collaborative learning differs

from the traditional top-down or one-way mode of knowledge

transmission, encouraging students to be active learners who

learn not only from their teachers but also peers.

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Web Browser:

Teachers can upload videos to YouTube or post relevant links

to the platform. File storage, as well as the distribution of

videos or other teaching resources, will no longer be a problem

as they can be done with an easy click or tab.

Offline Mode:

Teachers can set any topic in a course as an offline topic. Under the

offline mode, students can download all the materials in that particular

topic when Internet connection is available, and upload their responses

once the connection is on again. This function enables flexible learning

beyond the classroom, even at times without Internet access.

In order to enhance its compatibility, iClass is developed as a cross-

platform application. Users with different smart devices can access the

platform freely. As all data is stored in cloud, users can access the

platform at anytime, anywhere. It is also developed in different languages

versions to accommodate the needs of users from different areas.

The detailed features and operation of iClass can be referred to the user

manual downloadable from http://elearning.eee.hku.hk

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Chapter 3

Using iClass for Assessment

Chapter 3

Using iClass for Assessment

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Mode of assessments3.1.

Generally speaking, assessment could be categorized as follows

according to the different purposes for which they are designed:

i) Assessment for learning

ii) Assessment as learning

iii) Assessment of learning

Mode of assessment Supportive iClass tools

Assessment for

learning

a Peer Review module for students to view,

rate and comment on fellow classmates’

works

Assessment as

learning

a real-time online interactive quiz platform

for students to test their understanding, with

analytical tools for teachers to monitor the

learning progress and quantitative results

Assessment of

learning

Pen-based assignment marking module for

teachers to mark and provide feedback on

students’ works

Assessment for Learning – Peer Review3.1.1.

Assessment for learning can be carried out based on a variety of

information sources, such as portfolios, in-class work submission and

continuous coursework. Using the interactive tools provided by iClass,

students can submit their works to the teachers’ screen to share their ideas.

The Peer Review module enables students to view and evaluate their

classmates’ work, which in turn encourages collaborative learning. They

can also rate their peers’ work and the score can be recorded as part of the

peer assessment result.

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Assessment as Learning – Interactive Quiz3.1.2.

The Interactive Quiz module incorporates real-time analytical functions

to facilitate the analysis of students’ learning performance. Students can

use iClass to answer quiz questions of different types, including multiple

choices and fill-in-the-blanks. Different question can be assigned with

different attribute. By the end of the assessment, students’ individual

performance and overall class performance can be displayed in a

histogram (see Figure 1) or radar chart (see Figure 2), presenting teachers

with a clear view of students’ learning progress.

Figure 1. A histogram showing the distribution of the class performance

result (Total score (x-axis) vs No. of students (y-axis))

Students can input their comments and peer rating will be recorded

Students can learn through reviewing peers’ work

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Figure 2. A radar chart showing the performance of different attributes of

each student. The corresponding score of the different attributes can be

shown on a radar chart with performance history indicating improvement

progress.

Assessment of Learning – Pen-based Written Feedback3.1.3.

One of the main aims of assessment is to provide timely and adequate

feedbacks so that students learn from their mistakes and know how to

improve their performance next time. However, the current homework

submission function in Moodle only allows teachers to give textual

feedback on students’ assignment. It is often difficult or time-consuming

for teachers or tutors to mark directly on the softcopy. They have to first

print the assignment and mark on the physical copies, then scan the

marked copies and upload it to the system again. With their busy

schedules and other lesson preparatory work, such complicated

procedures often make it difficult for teachers and teaching assistants to

give timely and quality feedback to students.

Using the online pen-based assessment tool in iClass, teachers can use the

system conveniently to mark assignments, write comments, identify

mistakes, or underline keywords on the assignment, in a way similar to

what they do on a hardcopy assignment. These are especially important

for courses and topics involving diagrams, graphs or flowcharts.

Year 1Year 2

Skill analysisELEC2815

Macroeconomic

Microeconomic

Financial Management

Marketing

Accounting

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Teacher can use the proposed tool to assess and give feedback on

the e-assignment, as convenient and detailed as marking a paper

answer script.

Some useful features such as standard answer stickers, highlight pen,

standard comments, are avaliable in order to simplify the feedback

writing process and encourage teachers and TA to provide more in-depth

comments. With just one click, the teacher can distribute the feedback is

to students right after the assessment process.

3.2. Assessment for Learning

In order to empower and cultivate students to be a well-rounded person

and life-long learner, it is recommended that greater emphasis should be

placed on assessment for learning, which encourages teachers to identify

students’ learning problems and provide constructive feedback on

improvement. This approach to assessment underscores and recognizes

the uniqueness of every student whose potentials could be unleashed

when given appropriate guidance and support.

Every student has different need in different aspects, from cognition,

emotional development to social skills and learning styles. One of the

effective ways to foster a favorable learning environment is to provide

diversified teaching and assessment activities, such that students can

achieve the learning objectives according to their own learning mode and

pace. For instance, it is recommended by the Education Bureau that more

interesting and challenging class activities could be incorporated to

stimulate students’ interests and potential, thereby encouraging self-

directed learning.

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Formative Assessment and Summative Assessment3.2.1.

To promote more effective learning, assessment stands as an integral part

of the curriculum, learning and teaching, and feedback cycle. Assessment

is a process through which the effectiveness of student learning is

measured by assessing the expected learning outcomes and processes. If

assessment is one-dimensional and only produces a mark or grade,

students will only compare themselves against each other, which does

little in enhancing their motivation to learn. Rather, focus should be

directed to the learning process by providing students with the

opportunities to learn and exhibit their achievement while appreciating

their own and others’ efforts.

As suggested by the Education Bureau, diversity is one of the essential

features of assessment, and such diversity could be reflected in the

different modes of assessment, parties and strategies. For instance,

besides using the traditional written tests to assess students, other multi-

media modes of assessment such as creative projects could be introduced.

Assessment should also involve different parties, including self, peers,

teachers and parents. In this case, the peer review function in iClass

supports assessment as it not only enables students to get actively

involved in their own learning but also encourages peer learning by

providing a platform on which students learn to listen and reflect on

classmates’ answers in a class setting.

The functions of iClass aim to support different kinds of assessment by

providing a comprehensive understanding of student learning in multiple

aspects. More importantly, the feedback generated could serve as

reference for both teachers and students to devise better teaching and

learning approaches.

Learning is always more than about acquiring knowledge, and the

objective of assessment should not merely focus on testing the ability of

students or whether they have achieved the Intended Learning Outcomes.

Assessment involves the process of collecting data about students’

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learning and this may be carried out in different forms via a range of

activities, from classroom observation to written examinations. Common

types such as formative and summative assessment entail different

procedures and focuses, and iClass is a user-friendly and compatible tool

that supports both forms of assessment.

The most common type is summative assessment, which is carried out at

the end of the learning and teaching process to measure students’

attainment. The main purpose is to evaluate student learning against a

particular standard or benchmark. It is often conducted in the format of

tests and examinations, held by the end of the semester or year, assigning

grades and levels to students’ results.

In this regard, the Multiple Choice Question feature of iClass supports

summative assessment. Teachers could use it to set questions for Mid

Term or Final Examination. Papers will be marked automatically and the

system will generate real-time data once students submit their answers.

Information collected from summative assessment can then be used

formatively to guide students’ and teachers’ efforts and activities in future

courses.

Formative Assessment and Data Analysis 3.3.

On the other hand, formative assessment is conducted informally or

formally in daily classroom learning throughout the academic year. The

primary goal of formative assessment is to monitor the progress of

students’ learning by providing ongoing and timely feedback, which in

turn informs teaching and learning. Teachers can review their teaching

practices while students improve their learning styles. Typical examples

of formative assessment include in-class quiz or asking students to

answer real-time questions based on the lesson content.

For instance, iClass features an End of Module Quiz which is a short test

with matching, fill-in-the blanks and multiple choice questions. During

the quiz, students simply have to click the arrow icon to proceed to the

previous or next question if they want to modify their answers. After

finalizing their choices, they click the cloud button to submit the quiz to

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the system, which will then automatically generate different levels of

analysis. Different types of assessment analytic tools are available, from

question level, student level to class level, providing specific and useful

angles of analyses regarding students’ learning progress.

Question level analysis3.3.1.

For a question level analysis, the teacher can simply click on any question

number for a quick and clear view of the answer distribution. As

illustrated in the diagram above, a pie chart with the percentages of all

four options will be displayed. This allows the teacher to immediately

assess the students’ understanding of the subject matter discussed in class.

If the majority of students in class choose the right answer, then it reflects

positively on the effectiveness of the teaching and demonstrates the

students’ thorough understanding of the topic. On the other hand, if the

chart shows that more than half of the students opt for a wrong answer or

choose otherwise, the teacher can easily identify the common mistakes of

the class and provide more detailed explanation accordingly. It may also

be a sign that the teacher has to consider refining the teaching methods or

styles to better suit the class, or to make certain clarifications and restate

the main points to ensure students can grasp the core ideas before leaving

the classroom.

Student level analysis3.3.2.

In addition to showing the answer distribution of the class a whole, iClass

can categorize different question types and analyze students’ performance

in respective aspects by showing their different attributes. For instance,

the subject Integrated Science includes topics from Physics, Chemistry

2 Which of the following is not conductor?

A WaterB SiliconC CopperD Glass

Water

Glass

Silicon

28


and Biology. By showing the score performance of the student in

different types of questions, the teacher can identify their strengths and

weaknesses and advise them on further drilling in some target areas.

To illustrate, the diagram below shows the performance of the student

Chan Tai Man. Section 1 may be questions on Physics, while Section 2

and 3 may include questions on Chemistry and Biography respectively.

By displaying his score distribution in the quiz, teachers and parents can

obtain a clear picture of Chan’s academic performance in different

subjects. A 86% score in Physics means he is probably performing above

average in class, whereas lower scores in Chemistry and Biography,

highlighted in red, indicates he is performing slightly below par in these

subjects which need more attention on.

Nowadays, with students having many subjects to tackle and teachers

having many students to attend to at one time, iClass helps both students

and teachers to keep track of the learning process and ensure students are

not slacking off. With the in-built student level analysis function, iClass

stands as an effective tool to address individual learning needs, enabling

not only teachers but also students to devise effective learning solutions

by developing strengths and improving weaknesses.

Class level analysis3.3.3.

Notwithstanding the importance to personalize the learning experience by

attending to individual learners, the overall performance of the class also

affects learning effectiveness. In light of this, iClass provides statistical

Year 1Year 2

Skill analysisELEC2815

Macroeconomic

Microeconomic

Financial Management

Marketing

Accounting

Chan Tai Man

Score distributionsSection 1: 86%Section 2: 52%Section 3: 57%Section 4: 72%Section 5: 82%

Section 1

Section 5

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3Section 4

29


analysis at a class level in order to help teachers obtain an overview of the

performance of the class.

Below is an empirical study based on a common core class in our

university with over 100 students. With its two peaks, the line curve

shows a binomial distribution, indicating that there are two groups of

students with uneven standards in class. The highest score is 95 while the

lowest is 41, which is less than half the score attained by the best student.

While this may not be surprising given the diverse class composition, it is

still telling of the overall effectiveness of classroom teaching.

By showing the distribution of scores in the class, teachers can readily

evaluate the students’ performance and have a concrete idea on how well

students are digesting the lesson content. If the curve shows an uneven

level of performance, such as the case cited below, teachers will be

prompted to review and modify the level of difficulty of the learning

materials. Teaching approach may be adjusted to improve the delivery of

class materials. Teachers may also be alerted to the need of follow-up

actions such as holding supplementary classes to address the needs of

students who are currently performing below average.

Besides showing the maximum and minimum scores, the system

generates the mean score and standard deviation of the class. The mean

score here is 72.5, which suggests that the majority of the class is

performing at an average level. However, if the mean score happens to be

Class : Form 1C

Score Statistics

Max: 95Min: 41Mean: 72.5Std Dev.: 5.6

30


generally low, such as below 50, then the material or assessment is

probably too difficult for most students to handle, and the teacher may

have to consider fine-tuning the level of the assessment. By showing a

range of statistics that stand as useful indicators of the class performance,

it is hoped that the system will help teachers adjust and refine their

teaching approaches and eventually narrow the gap between the high and

low performers to foster a more effective learning environment for all.

31


Chapter 4:

New Features for

New Pedagogy

32


In the previous book, a number of basic modules of iClass are outlined.

The following session introduces a few newly developed features that are

designed to better fit the learning needs of students in today’s digital era.

Learning with e-stickers 4.1.

E-stickers effectively enliven the learning process by providing students

with things in hands to work on. Simple in-class activities can be

conducted with the use of e-stickers, enhancing the level of interaction in

a traditional classroom setting. Prior to the class, teachers can first

prepare an image or graph to serve as the backing paper or background.

The images can be taken from existing albums or downloaded from the

web. Alternatively, the pictures can be taken instantly with the camera in

electronic devices like iPad or tablets. In addition to the background

image, the teacher may prepare different e-stickers for students to choose.

To illustrate, simple matching exercises can be carried out with e-stickers

to teach basic geographical knowledge. The teacher may first download a

map of China from the web and upload it to the system. E-stickers, which

may be iconic images or landmarks of different Chinese cities, such as

the Summer Palace from Beijing or pandas from Sichuan maybe prepared

and preloaded in iClass. During class, students can click into the

corresponding activity and perform simple matching by dragging the

images to the geographical location of different cities on the map. Given

actual tasks to work on, students remain engaged throughout the process.

Teachers may also check the students’ progress and answers immediately

after their submission of answers. In the past when matching exercise

only exists in paper, it is rather difficult for teachers to track students’

progress, especially when the class size is large. With the availability of

e-stickers, matching exercise can be conducted easily with just a swipe or

tab, and answers can be checked instantly. At the same time, the use of

electronic resources saves a lot of paper and excessive printing, which is

more environmental-friendly compared to the traditional pen-and-paper

mode.

33


The use of e-sticker is not limited to matching exercises that aims at

testing students’ knowledge. In fact, it can be used flexibly to conduct a

variety of class activities to suit the curriculum requirements of different

subjects and topics. To give another example, e-stickers can be used as

diagram labels for students to draw the laboratory set-up for experiments

in science subjects. In the example below, e-stickers can be used to draw

an electric circuit. Before the activity, the teacher may prepare the images

of different components and upload them to iClass.

.

Choosing different e-stickers to draw a diagram

34


During class, students can first drag and drop the relevant component,

such as the battery or the light bulb, to its corresponding position on the

backdrop, then use the Drawing function to draw lines to link up the

components.

Alternatively, the e-sticker function may be applied in teaching

Mathematics, such as the unit on shapes. For imstance, the seven pieces

of a Tangram may be represented by e-stickers of different shapes and

sizes. Students can learn how to fit different shapes together by dragging,

dropping and arranging the components in the backdrop.

Drag and drop the components to their positions and then draw lines

Use Drawing function to add lines to link up the components.

Recording your answers4.2.

With iClass, answering questions no longer means putting everything in

written words, but articulating them in an audio file. The recording

function in iClass encourages students to record their voice and submit

them to the teacher or class for sharing. For instance, the teacher may

post a topic or question, such as asking students to share their memorable

travel experience. To respond, students first click the recording button

and verbalize their answers. They may try out as many times as they like

and save a number of recordings, play back to listen to each, then select

the most satisfactory one for final submission. Once uploaded, the teacher

35


may listen to their recordings immediately and provide feedback to

students.

The student’s interface

The teacher’s interface – listening to the tracks submitted by students

This feature is particularly useful for language teaching that often

requires oral practice session. In the past, when students want to practice

36


oral skills and receive feedback from teachers, they need to wait quite

some time for their turn as each student takes up at least 3-5 minutes. The

recording function enables more effective use of class time, providing

students with more opportunities to articulate their ideas to practice oral

speaking. Instead of attending to students one-to-one within the limited

lesson time, teachers may encourage students to do their own recordings

first, either during class or at their leisure, and upload it to the system.

Teachers could then review the tracks efficiently and give comments for

improvement. The digitalization of data also keeps record of the students’

oral speaking performance so that relevant information may be retrieved

for teachers’ reference later.

Co-creation of music4.3.

As an interactive platform, iClass does not only accommodate science or

language subjects but also music. iClass Composer, which can be

integrated with iClass for real-time interactive teaching, enables a group

of students to collaborate and create music on-the-go with a device as

simple and accessible as an iPad.

Students can input notes using the staff or virtual keyboard, and then

instantly render their pieces using a wide variety of sounds from the

sound bank. Their finished works can be shared seamlessly between

iPads, printed out in the sheet music format, or exported to MP3/WAV.

This promotes collaborative learning and encourages students to explore

their creative potentials by interacting and experimenting new things with

their peers. In addition to being an easy tool to compose music with

friends, the system enables students to gain basic musical knowledge.

Users can receive feedback on music spelling and grammar, which helps

them grasp a better understanding of the theories underlying music

composition.

37


Submit the staff and

music notes to iClass

Selection of music notes Delete note/bar

38


Learning in Off-line Mode4.4.

The resources in iClass can be accessed in an off-line mode, including

previously uploaded documents or image files. All functions, except peer

review and web browser, are able to work properly without Internet

connection. In this way, collaborative learning is no longer limited to the

classroom setting, allowing students to learn anywhere, anytime, at their

own desired pace. Under the off-line mode, students can participate in

interactive activities outside the classroom. For instance, in an activity

such as drawing route maps, students may take their iPads or tablets with

them, mark down the landmarks and make notes on-the-go using the

Drawing function. They may also collaborate with other groups or

classmates through the sharing platform. Case Study 6.2 provides more

details on how the off-line mode is used to conduct class activities.

4.5. Conducting Multidimensional Discussion

Despite the advocacy of small class teaching and its recognized benefits

to learning, many classes in universities or schools are still held in big

lecture halls and classrooms, which may not be the most desirable

environment to carry out effective class discussions. Some students may

not be as outspoken as others and prefer expressing their opinions in

written words rather than verbally in front of the whole class. Moreover,

with the limited time scheduled for each class, it is sometimes difficult to

ensure every student gets a fair share of time to articulate their ideas.

iClass thus comes in timely as an interactive system that facilitates

classroom discussion of various sizes and styles, gathering opinions from

all classmates in an organized manner that is conducive to effective and

fruitful discussions.

How does it work4.5.1.

With its keyword function, iClass accommodate different types of

discussion and teaching styles to address the learning needs of different

subjects. To initiate a class discussion, the teacher simply has to add a

new topic, put in the question concerned and the aspects to be discussed.

Students, with their smartphones, tablets or computers, can then log into

39


their accounts, click in the class and topic and contribute their ideas by

typing relevant keywords.

After submission, their answers will be available to the teacher as well as

fellow classmates, which can be shown in either tag cloud or list view.

For a tag cloud view, students’ ideas will be presented in a big box

similarly to that of a mind map. By displaying the pool of ideas from the

entire class, it is especially helpful in the brainstorming stage of any

discussion. If more than one student put in the same keyword, the system

will automatically enlarge and bold that particular keyword to indicate

that it is a popular idea shared among students. The teacher may begin the

discussion by first referring to those general ideas to arouse students’

interest and stimulate thoughts, then move on to other interesting points

in the pool.

Alternatively, teachers can obtain a list view of students’ ideas, which

shows all the keywords and points in a clear and orderly manner. The

ideas are grouped under respective columns according to the different

aspects assigned by the teacher. In addition to getting an overview of the

ideas collected under different aspects, the teacher can also see the ideas

contributed by each student. This is particularly useful for follow-up

discussion, as the teacher may refer to an interesting point and then call

upon the student to elaborate, clarify or substantiate the idea to enrich the

discussion. As with the case cited below, the teacher may invite the

student Derwin to explain his rationale behind suggesting ‘carbon tax’ as

the non-technical solution to climate change.

40


Facilitating different types of discussion 4.5.2.

Different subjects and topics require different modes of discussion. Some

need a general pool of ideas while others expect a two-sided or even six-

sided view on the issues under inquiry. iClass provides support for

different types of discussion, ranging from one-dimensional to six-

dimensional.

One-dimensional Discussion4.5.3.

If the teacher wants to generate general points on a certain topic, he or

she can initiate a brainstorming session using iClass. For instance, in

discussing the topic on sustainable development, the teacher may ask

students to give examples of renewable energy. The student can then type

in keywords such as ‘wind power’, ‘hydropower’ and ‘solar energy’ and

submit their answers to the system. Every student can contribute as many

examples as possible at the same time, and the system will display all the

ideas gathered on the screen. The teacher can refer to the examples raised

and pick up a few to follow-up on. Instead of feeding ideas to students,

this style of open discussion makes learning a more engaging experience,

which is especially helpful when the class size is large.

Two-dimensional Discussion4.5.4.

Other than stimulating general discussion, the system enables teachers to

conduct class debates effectively by offering a clear view of the two sides

of the same issue. This is relevant and important in subjects like liberal

studies or social administration which often demand students to hold a

balanced view on the issues concerned. For instance, in evaluating the

effectiveness of a social policy, such as the legislation of standard

working hours, the students have to brainstorm the positive and negative

impacts of the policy. Under the tab on positive impacts, students may

input keywords such as ‘work-life balance’, ‘less exploitation’. On the

other hand, negative impacts may include ‘lower productivity’, ‘less

welfare’ and so on. After listing out both sides of the issue, the class can

carry out a debate on the implementation of the policy based on those

41


ideas generated. During the debate, students can easily refer to the points

on the screen from time to time. It also helps students to construct

stronger arguments and formulate convincing rebuttals by considering the

opponents’ points of view.

SWOT Analysis4.5.5.

Aside from presenting a two-dimensional view, the system facilitates the

four-dimensional SWOT analysis by encouraging students to identify the

strength, weakness, opportunities and threats of particular projects or

policies. This analytical structure is originally developed by Albert

Humphrey in the 1960s in his analysis of business companies, and is later

widely adopted for business ventures and all kinds of projects. While

SWOT analysis is useful for strategic planning by identifying both the

internal and external factors affecting a project, it also proves to be a

good analytical framework for discussions beyond the business field.

In fact, the SWOT analysis model is used for an Engineering

management class in the university. In discussing the competitive

industry in Hong Kong, the professor guided the students to approach the

topic from four angles by brainstorming its strengths, weaknesses,

opportunities and threats. Keywords for strengths include “advanced

technologies”, “experienced engineers”, whereas weaknesses may be

“language barriers” or “lack of medical engineer”. In addition to thinking

about the pros and cons, students are encouraged to have a long-term

vision by considering the opportunities and threats provided by the

competitive industries.

As shown in the diagram below, after submitting their answers to the

system, both the professor and students get a clear table view of the ideas

immediately. In the past, class discussions are often difficult to carry out

when the class is not active or responsive enough. With the support of

iClass, the teacher can conduct and coordinate effective class discussions

based on the points contributed by students, at the same time making the

class more interactive by responding directly to their ideas.

42


PESTEL Analysis4.5.6.

In addition to facilitating SWOT analysis, iClass supports another similar

yet slightly different analytical framework – the PESTEL model. The

PEST framework was first created by Harvard professor Francis Aguilar

to analyze the business environment with respect to the political,

economical, social, technological aspects, and was later expanded to

include environmental and legal factors. While the SWOT analysis

focuses more generally on the internal and external factors, PESTEL

analysis offers a macro view on the issue.

For instance, in analyzing the effectiveness of setting standard working

hours, the teacher may want a more in-depth discussion rather than just

pointing out the positive and negative impact of the policy. With the

PESTEL analysis function in iClass, the teacher can guide the students to

think in more diverse ways and consider the political, economic, social,

technological, environmental and legal implications of the policy. For

example, students may key in “greater social harmony” under social

impact and “lower productivity” under economic impact. After the

students express their ideas, the system automatically categorizes the

answers under different aspects to provide an easy reference for the class.

43


As illustrated, the system is a useful tool in facilitating multidimensional

discussions that accommodate various types of discussion and teaching

styles required in different subjects. In today’s world, learning no longer

stresses on the one-way knowledge transmission from teachers to

students, but in enhancing the capacity of the student to develop critical

thinking ability to analyze issues from multiple angles in an organized

and logical way. Discussions, whether they are between teachers and

students, or among students themselves, have hence become an

increasingly important part of interactive learning.

The system is also a good and easy way to keep record of the discussion

content for each lesson, which can then be used for review during the

next lesson, or for the students’ future reference when they prepare for

essays and examinations.

By stimulating the brainstorming of ideas and providing an easy way to

contribute ideas in class, iClass encourages more active participation

from students to foster a more interactive class environment that is

optimal for effective learning and teaching.

44


Chapter 5: Interactive

Technology in Science

Education

45


The interactive features of iClass, as introduced in the previous session,

can be applied in teaching different subjects. Science education, for

instance, has capitalized on this advancement of technology in enhancing

learning effectiveness. Just as how the world wide web changed the way

we communicate a few decades ago, the emergence and popularity of e-

textbooks and interactive technology have revolutionized the traditional

mode of learning by placing student at the center of the learning process.

E-textbook is an effective tool that integrates the use of technology with

practical sessions and other in-class activities in helping students build,

reinforce and consolidate knowledge. By incorporating new technologies

into practice with functions such as simulations, data logging, projected

animations and other dynamic digital resources, e-textbooks facilitate

students in understanding complex scientific concepts and physical

processes.

There has been well-established research literature on the benefits of the

use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in science

education. With the rapid development of educational technology in the

past decades, educators and scholars have developed different

pedagogical approaches for science education that capitalize on the

technological resources available. The following section reviews the

different ways in which e-textbook uses technology to enhance the

overall effectiveness of learning and teaching science.

The Use and Benefits of Interactive Technology 5.1.

Increasing In-class Interactivity: the PEOE Model5.1.1.

The “Predict-Explain-Observe-Explain” Model, better known as PEOE,

refers to the pedagogical approach of adopting a “Predict-Explain-

Observe-Explain” learning process. This model is commonly used in

science education which places great emphasis on students’ direct

engagement and input in learning. It is particularly useful in science

subjects like Physics, as students often hold a lot of misconceptions. In

the first phase, students are asked to make predictions on the possible

46


outcomes of an experiment or scientific process and provide explanations.

They then observe the actual processes as demonstrated, followed by the

teachers’ explanations of the underlying concepts.

As such, E-textbook is an effective tool that supports and reinforces the

PEOE learning model by enhancing the level of interactivity and students’

involvement in class. Instead of having the teachers deliver the content,

students learn more effectively by gaining hands-on experience with the

topic materials. They are engaged throughout the entire learning process,

from asking “what if” questions to observing and explaining their

findings. As such, students participate actively in the knowledge building

process, synthesizing and linking new ideas and concepts with existing

knowledge. By eliciting, discussing and challenging students’ ideas, e-

textbooks help to reinforce the PEOE learning process by encouraging

students to construct and restructure their own knowledge through

providing a series of interactive activities.

To take an example, instead of directly telling the students factual

knowledge about conductors and insulators, the teacher may first ask

students to predict what would happen if electricity passes through a type

Predict

Explain

Observe

Explain

47


of material, say, silicon. Students then make predictions on possible

results based on their own knowledge of the properties of silicon, and

explain their answers. In this initial stage, the interactive features of e-

textbook come in useful in collecting the predictions from the entire class.

This electronic mode of learning increases accessibility and interaction

within a class by allowing many students to participate in the same

activity simultaneously. Each of them can submit their guesses to their

teacher at the same time, and the teacher can invite students to offer

explanations based on the ideas gathered. Students may even draw

images on screen to reflect their ideas and share them immediately with

the class for discussion. After generating ideas on the possible outcomes,

students observe the process as the teacher demonstrates what happens

when electricity passes through a piece of silicon. Afterwards, the

underpinning concepts will be explained to students to reinforce or rectify

their understandings of conductors and insulators. In this case, e-

textbooks support collaborative investigation by fostering student

participation in what Sutherland (2004) calls a “collaborative community

of inquiry”. By eliciting students’ knowledge and challenging them

against empirical findings, students keep involved and motivated

throughout the entire learning process.

Visualizing abstract concepts: simulation/animated images5.1.2.

In the past, teachers distribute worksheets for students to work in class,

asking them to fill in missing components or draw diagrams of electric

circuits on papers. Concepts and theories that involve complex processes

are also taught and explained by mere descriptions. Nowadays, e-

textbooks, by incorporating interactive simulation software and other

multimedia resources, facilitate the visualization of abstract knowledge

and concepts. With the dynamic visual representations of physical

phenomena, e-textbooks come in as especially helpful to slower learners

who have difficulty formulating their own mental representations. For

instance, instead of imagining the motion of electrons, simulation models

and animations embedded in the e-textbook help students visualize the

48


actual movement and direction of the electronics, as well as the effects

they are expected to generate.

Use computer to simulate complex science concepts

For a subject like Chemistry that includes many abstract concepts,

electronic technology can be applied to help students get a better grasp of

its theories. Chemistry educators have suggested the triplet relationship in

the teaching of chemistry, referring to the idea that chemical knowledge

can be represented in three ways: macro, micro and symbolic. The macro-

structure refers to things that can be visibly seen; the microscopic world

includes things that are not physically visible to human eyes, while the

symbolic refers to the diagram representations or equations in science

subjects. With reference to this triplet model, electronic learning can

strengthen the teaching of chemistry by enhancing students’

understanding of the abstract microscopic world. As Dr. Alice Wong,

education researcher in the University specializing in Science Education

suggests, in order to teach knowledge of the micro-structure effectively,

diagrams and words have to be matched very well in helping students

visualize the concepts. This is challenging with printed textbooks as they

only include static images and diagrams. On the other hand, electronic

textbooks make things easier by supporting moving images and

49


animations. With just a click or tab, simulation models and micro-level

movements are displayed visually. For instance, in learning

crystallography, animations incorporated within the e-textbooks help to

demonstrate and explain how various diffraction patterns are produced.

Moreover, the use of simulation greatly enhances the interactive process

of learning. As many educators have pointed out, given the complex and

counter-intuitive nature of scientific concepts and processes, the

opportunities for discussion, reasoning, interpretation and reflection are

essential components for knowledge building. In their view,

“technological tools and resources which students can use interactively

potentially offers further opportunities for expressing, evaluating and

revising their developing ideas as they visualize the consequences of their

own reasoning” (Hennessy et al. 2007). In other words, through

capitalizing the use of electronic technology, e-textbooks enable students

to directly engage with the concepts learnt and encourage knowledge

exploration by stimulating students to evaluate, reflect and pose questions.

The use of simulation technology in science subjects also directs students’

focus on the key underlying concepts, relationships and processes that the

teacher wants to address. In science subjects which involve many

practical activities and demonstrations, students may have a different

focal point from the teacher and place attention on parts that are irrelevant

to the theory concerned. For instance, when studying the workings of a

motor on a printed textbook in which images remain static, some students

may misplace their focus on the two magnets at the north and south poles

instead of the motion of the motor in the middle. By incorporating

animated images, e-textbooks help student to focus on the target concepts

by highlighting them with motion.

Promoting collaborative learning: Data Logging5.1.3.

In addition to increasing students’ level of involvement in the learning

process, electronic technology promotes collaborative knowledge

building through data logging. Back then when technology was not as

developed as it is today, when students carry out simulation, they have to

50


perform a collision physically and observe the effects. However, with the

use of sensing equipment and other advanced electronic devices, once the

collision happens, experimental data can be automatically generated,

recorded and displayed (Newton & Rogers 2001). Through real time data

plotting, students are encouraged to predict, hypothesize and ask

questions based on the data collected. They are also allowed to gather as

many data as possible through repeated experiments, which are

impossible in the past when experiments still have to be conducted in

practical sessions. In this sense, electronic learning revolutionizes the

learning process by realizing what could not be done in the past.

More importantly, with the immediate availability of experimental data,

the class can carry out dynamic discussion based on their findings. For

instance, in examining the relationship between magnetism and electricity,

students can conduct the simple experiment of passing a magnet near a

coil of wire connected to an ammeter. After collecting the automated

readings from the ammeter, the class may discuss the implications of the

results by considering the variables affecting the amount of current, such

as the magnets’ location and speed or the type of coils. This kind of

discussion increases the level of interaction and promotes student-

centered learning.

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Using data logger to record experiment results

Supporting Self-directed Learning 5.1.4.

E-textbooks not only promote student-centered learning, but more

importantly enable self-directed learning by empowering students to learn

independently. As many teachers would have known, the science

curriculum includes sections on factual knowledge that does not require

much explanation or practical experiments. For instance, students can

read and understand factual information such as the types of

thermometers or radiators, or how different radiation is produced. Given

the valuable and limited class time, it is recommended that quality class

time should be better spent for higher-order learning such as investigation

of theories, leaving other information to students to read on their own. In

this case, e-textbooks come in as helpful tools to support independent

learning by making multimedia resources readily available and accessible

to students at anytime, anywhere.

Moreover, e-textbooks provide an alternative way to train students’

ability in reading-to-learn, which is an important skill highlighted in

today’s science curriculum. In subjects like Physics, students are required

to read science-related articles. The ability to read and understand

different kind of texts is an essential life-long skill and students are better

off acquiring such skill at an earlier age. E-textbooks promote the

development of students’ reading skills by presenting them with a myriad

of up-to-date articles and other reading materials. These kinds of

interactive resources are especially useful to the more investigative and

independent learners who actively seek extended knowledge to enrich

what they learn in class.

The Role of Interactive Technology 5.2.

It is believed that the most ideal way to implement interactive technology

in the classroom is to integrate it well with other learning components. In

any case, interactive technology should be regarded as a means but not an

52


end to education. In other words, electronic technology and e-textbooks

are used to facilitate learning and teaching, rather than overtaking the

objective of education by taking the center stage in a classroom.

As Dr. Wong suggests, experiments for science subjects should not be

separated into a lab session of 4 hours but instead integrated well to daily

teaching. In the past, with limited class time and teaching periods, it may

be difficult to include lab sessions into daily lessons. In this sense,

electronic technology proves to be useful in integrating laboratory

demonstration into regular classes by making it affordable and convenient

to conduct experiments.

Much more importantly, interactive technology plays a vital role in

promoting a positive learning attitude. The aim of education, rather than

being knowledge transmission, should be about the cultivation of an

inquisitive mind among students such that they have the self-motivation

to learn. Well-designed e-textbooks, by incorporating more enlivened

resources, enables students to experience the fun of the knowledge

seeking process. After all, instilling the drive to learn comes with much

more value than implanting hard and fast knowledge.

References

i. Hennessy S, Wishart J, Whitelock D, Deaney R, Brawn R, la Velle L,

McFarlane A, Ruthven K, Winterbottom M (2007) Pedagogical

approaches for technology-integrated science teaching. Computer

Education, 48:137–152.

ii. Newton, L. & Rogers, L. (2003) Thinking frameworks for planning

ICT in science lessons. School Science Review, 84 (309), 113-120.

iii. Sutherland, R. (2004) Designs for learning: ICT and knowledge in

the classroom. Computers and Education, 43, 5-16.

53


Chapter 6 Case Studies at the

University of

Hong Kong

54


Case study: Faculty of Medicine6.1.

Case: Conduct pre-test and post-test

Teacher: Dr. Julia Chen and Dr. Weng Yee Chin

Students: Undergraduates

Subject: Common Core Course – From Health to Well-being

The common core course was

first introduced in the

University of Hong Kong to

accommodate the curriculum

reform in Hong Kong.

Categorized into four Areas of

Inquiry (AoIs) including

Scientific and Technological

Literacy, Humanities, Global

Issues and China: Culture, State

and Society, the main objective

of common core courses is “to

broaden their horizons beyond

their chosen disciplinary fields

of study” (HKU Common Core

website 2013), and every

student is required to take six

courses throughout their undergraduate studies. As such, these classes are

often subscribed by a large amount of students coming from diverse

disciplines and background. In order to enhance the level of interactivity

within the classroom, iClass comes in useful as a tool to engage students

with the lecture content. The following session reviews the use of iClass

in the common core course CCHU9019 (From Health to Well-being)

offered by the Faculty of Medicine last year. It was co-taught by Dr.

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Chen and Dr. Chin, both of them professors from the Department of

Family Medicine and Primary Care.

The class consisted of 120 students coming from different disciplines.

iClass was employed quite substantially in the course and was used in 10

out of the 12 lectures. It played a supportive role in the course by

increasing the level of students’ participation, making the large class

more accessible to students who felt comfortable contributing opinions

through the use of mobile devices. The real-time nature of the system also

allowed the teacher to immediately draw on and respond to the results

generated. More importantly, the use of iClass enabled different modality

by engaging students in a variety of activities. Instead of only listening to

the lectures, the students had something fun in hands to work with. It was

the first time that iClass was introduced in the class and students’

responses were generally very positive, and some even considered iClass

as one of the merits of the course in the end-of-term evaluation. One

credited the use of technology by writing “I can see the very good

implementation of technology within this course, like the system of

iClass, and also the forum stuff (on Moodle)…”

The Use of Different Features

a) Multiple Choice Questions

Different features of iClass were used to conduct various in-class

activities. The Multiple Choice Question feature is used most often to

carry out pre-tests and post-tests. For instance, in the lecture on global

health, a pre-test was given to students to check their background

knowledge prior to the lesson. Simple and short MC questions were

posed, such as asking students to choose from the options the country

with the highest infant immortality rate. It enabled the lecturer to gain

insight of students’ baseline level of generic knowledge and at the same

time encourage students to stay focused and look out for things they do

not know during the lecture. Sometimes, pre-tests were set to ensure

students have completed the required readings before coming to class. At

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the end of the lecture, a post-test was given to anchor students’

knowledge and test their understanding of the lecture content.

One of the questions in the “Pre-test”

Part of the result for “Pre-test”

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One of the questions in “Post-test”

Part of the result in “Post-test”

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Other than knowledge-based questions, the MCQ feature of iClass was

used to carry out surveys containing attitudinal-based questions that focus

on students’ beliefs and values. In one lesson, a survey was conducted to

understand students’ attitudes on bird flu before introducing to them the

relevant knowledge.

b) Tag Cloud

Although iClass was not employed extensively to carry out in-class

discussion in the course, it was sometimes used to collect general

opinions on a topic before the lecturer delivered the content. In the

example below, in teaching health related diseases, students were asked

to put down what came to their mind when hearing the word “fat” or

“obese”. Students then logged into their accounts, input the keywords and

submitted them to the system. The words were immediately projected on

the centralized screen with the size of the word directly proportional to its

frequency. In this case, the word “unhealthy” was enlarged and

highlighted in bold, meaning most students associated unhealthiness with

obesity. Alternatively, the data could be presented quantitatively in a pie

chart. This gave the lecturer a general idea of the students’ perception,

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and the teacher could then respond to their views or address any

misconceptions during the lecture.

Meanwhile, iClass provided students an easy channel to participate in

class. In a study, VanDeGrift et al. (2002) identified several factors

inhibiting student-initiated interaction in large classes, such as student

apprehension, comment verbalization, feedback lag and single-speaker

paradigm. Students often feel intimidated when they are asked to

articulate their ideas in front of a large class. As such, iClass, by

minimizing the feeling of uneasiness, motivated students to participate by

contributing ideas with their mobile devices.

c) Voting

In some occasions, iClass functioned as a voting system in which students

selected the winners of a group project using their mobile phones. This

form of peer feedback promoted collaborative learning and encouraged

students to not only appreciate but also learn from each other’s works.

Reference

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i. VanDeGrift, T., Wolfman, S. A., Yasuhara, K., & Anderson, R. J.

(2002). Promoting interaction in large classes with computer-

mediated feedback system. Seattle: University of Washington.

Case study: Faculty of Dentistry6.2.

Case: Facilitate submission of assignment and in-class sharing

Teacher: Dr. James K.H. Tsoi


Subject: Dentistry - Practical Class

Last year, iClass was introduced in a taught postgraduate course to

support Journal-based Learning, a learning mode adopted at MSc level

that requires students to study prescribed journal articles and then discuss

among themselves on particular topics. As observed by Dr. Tsoi, the use

of iClass helped to facilitate interaction among students and between

students and the facilitator. This year, iClass was used to teach a practical

course at undergraduate level. It was used quite intensively in 7 practical

classes, and around 1-1.5 hour was spent on the in-class activities

conducted with iClass each time.


a) Drawings

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iClass is a user-friendly and effective system for students to upload their

classwork or other assignment, which will then be viewed and marked by

teachers. As Dr. Tsoi explained, turning in digital copies of assignment

was more convenient for both students and teachers, considering the

paperwork and administration procedures required for hardcopy

submission. With everything being just a click or tab away, students were

more motivated to hand in their work right after class, which generated a

higher submission rate of assignment. In this kind of course, assignment

was not compulsory as long as the students attended the class, and this

often resulted in a lower submission rate. As observed by Dr. Tsoi, with

the submission function of iClass which enabled students to turn in their

work immediately in or after class, students felt more encouraged to hand

in the assignment to the teacher, and the attendance rate was also found to

have improved.

Besides the submission of assignment, iClass was used to facilitate in-

class activities and teaching. For example, after conducting an

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experiment, students were asked to use the “Drawings” function to

sketch a wax cooling curve and upload their work to the system. The

teacher then displayed the answers in class using a projector, allowing

students to compare and contrast the different curves drawn. Such kind

of exercise does not have any model answer and students might come up

with different answers depending on the brand of wax they used. The

various features of iClass support the follow-up activities of experiments

by enabling students to share their work real-time with the class and the

teacher to offer explanations based on students’ findings.

b) Multiple Choice Questions

In addition to the Drawings function, the MCQ module was used to set

questions that are optional for students to complete. The teacher would

go through the answers with them later, followed by discussions arising

from the exercise. The distribution of answers was shown in a pie chart,

while the names of students who answered the questions could be

displayed in a list view. Through completing the exercise, students could

review and reinforce what they have learnt and the teacher could check

students’ understanding of the concepts discussed in class.

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c) Tag Cloud

In another instance, the tag cloud function was used to display students’

findings within the class. In the activity below, students were asked to

use a formula to do some calculations about wax and wire and then

submit their answers to the system. The numbers were immediately

shown in a tag cloud format, with the enlarged “1.0” highlighted in bold,

indicating that the majority of students had “1.0” as their answers. As Dr.

Tsoi explained, there was not a single correct answer for this kind of

exercise as long as the number fell within an acceptable range. By

effectively displaying the statistical results in experiments or short

exercise such as this, the tag cloud format presents the teacher with a

clear picture of the majority of opinions in a class in an efficient way.

He or she could then use the information generated as reference to

address related concepts while teaching.

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Case study: Centre of Journalism and Media Studies6.3.

Case: Conduct mid-term quiz

Teacher: Professor Ying Chan


Subject: Common Core Course - Media in the Age of Globalization

Apart from science-related subjects, the application of iClass extended to

other fields including Journalism. Last year, iClass was used in a

Common Core course titled “Media in the Age of Globalization”. It was

offered to approximately 150 students from multiple disciplines across

different years. In light of the large class size of common core courses,

the system was employed to enhance the level of interaction among

students and between the lecturer and students in a classroom setting.


a) Multiple Choice Question

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Before the class, students were reminded to bring along with them mobile

devices in order to complete a MCQ test that counted towards 5% of the

final course grade. On the day of test, most students had with them the

electronic devices such as iPads, smartphones or tablets. Out of the 150

students, only 7 were not able to access the system with their own devices,

either because they failed to connect with the wireless network or that

their gadgets ran out of battery. In the end, these students borrowed the

spare devices prepared by the teachers in completing the test.

Prior to the test day, the

teacher designed a MCQ test

consisting of 10 questions and

uploaded it to the system.

During the assessment,

students first logged into their

own accounts and used 5

minutes to finish the test. As

answers and comments were

preloaded in the system, auto-

correction was performed the moment the students submitted their

answers, saving tedious paper marking work. At the same time, the data

generated was immediately analyzed and summarized in the forms of

graph, chart or list, giving teachers an idea of the distribution of answers

and overall performance of the class.

In general, iClass proved effective in administering a MCQ test in a large

class, while students exhibited interest and enjoyed the fresh learning

experience brought by iClass. Upon the completion of test, the teacher

displayed the answer distribution on the projected screen, went through

the question one by one and addressed students’ common mistakes. The

MCQ activity lasted for about 25 minutes, from the administrative

procedures at the beginning to the discussion after the test. As observed,

the tag cloud diagram seemed to be able to stimulate further thoughts

among students.

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b) Keyword

Another application of iClass

was the use of the Keyword

module in conducting class

discussion. At the beginning,

students were asked to use 2

keywords to describe the news

media in China nowadays. After

submission, their answers were

displayed in tag cloud format,

allowing the class to carry out

effective discussion based on the ideas generated. As shown below, the

majority of students found the news media “biased”, and this keyword

was enlarged and highlighted in bold. As observed, the learning

atmosphere was positive and students’ response was generally active.

Case study: Faculty of Engineering 6.4.

Case: Conduct In-class Exercise with MCQ Module

Teacher: Professor K. W. Chow

Students: Undergraduates (Year 1, Engineering majors)

Subject: MATH1851 - Calculus and Ordinary Differential Equations

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During Semester 1 2013-2014 (09/2013-12/2013), iClass was used for the

first time in the engineering mathematics class MATH1851, a

compulsory course for all first year Engineering students. The course was

offered in both semesters, with about 280 students in the first semester

and 200 in the second. In light of the disappointing failure rate last year,

carefully planned actions are taken to enhance the teaching and learning

environment, such as increasing the number of tutorial sessions and using

information technology more actively in the classroom. In November

2013, iClass was employed in a pilot study in the course, during which

the Multiple Choice Question module was used in administering in-class

exercises.

The MCQ module was used for two sessions in the teaching of

differential equations. Before the class, a message was posted on Moodle

reminding students to bring their tablets or other devices for connection

to the internet to the lectures. During the lesson, the first 25 minutes were

allocated for normal teaching, followed by the in-class exercise that

consisted of around 10-20 questions on conceptual knowledge. Students

were given 10 minutes to complete 10 carefully designed questions, after

which the lecturer went through the questions with them and offered

explanations when necessary.

On the day of class, most students brought with them their electronic

devices. The log-in process was smooth with no students reporting

difficulty in accessing their accounts. Due to the large number of students

enrolled, classes were conducted in two separate sessions (with about 140

students enrolled in each session). Typically for each session there were

about 70-80 students attending the lectures, and the response rate to the

in-class exercises was around 60% of those present.

One major benefit of iClass was the almost instant feedback provided to

both the teacher and the students. Upon the completion of in-class

exercise, the distribution of answers to each question could be displayed

in the form of a pie chart, enabling the teacher to identify the common

mistakes and problematic areas. In the interest of time, the teacher can

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reduce the coverage on those aspects where students mostly get the

correct answers, and instead concentrate on the weakest link in

conceptual understanding.

Based on the available data gathered from the two in-class trial runs, a

correlation study was carried out to study the effectiveness of iClass in

enhancing the learning performance. From a preliminary analysis, it was

found that those students who responded to the two iClass MCQ

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exercises scored better in the quiz afterwards. Yet at the present stage,

more data and case studies is still needed before a more definitive

conclusion can be drawn. Nevertheless, the relevance and usage of iClass

in improving the teaching and learning effectiveness have definitely been

firmly established.

In the semester 1 of 2013-2014, iClass was mainly used to run two in-

class exercises with the MCQ module. In the future, it is likely that the

application of iClass would be extended, such as using the Drawings

function to plot graphs. In addition to using the platform in the regular

lectures of a big class, the idea of using iClass in small group settings

such as tutorials will be examined. It is expected that iClass will play an

important role in enhancing the efficiency of these activities too.

Case study: School of Biology6.5.

Case: Support pre-teaching activities

Teacher: Dr. Karen Yuen

Students: Undergraduates (Year 2)

Subject: Biological Science

iClass took up a supportive role in the teaching of an introductory course

on Biological Science that was taken by second year students. The system

was mainly used to facilitate pre-teaching activities which students can

participate in at their times of convenience.


a) Multiple Choice Questions

The multiple choice question function was used most often in conducting

pre-teaching activities. As Dr. Yuen described, she would post a few MC

questions based on the lecture content to iClass before the lesson. The

URL link to the questions was posted on Moodle (which contains other

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course materials such as lecture handouts), and students could try out the

questions on a voluntary basis. The purpose was to stimulate students’

learning interests prior to the delivery of lecture, while the answers to the

questions would be covered in class.

During the lecture, Dr. Yuen would sometimes refer to the points or

questions highlighted in the MC question and address the related concepts

or common mistakes. In a few instances, the MCQ feature was used to

carry out survey among students, such as asking them why they enroll in

the course. As the pre-teaching activities was optional for students and

did not count towards the course grade, the completion rate was not

particularly high. Nonetheless, it was observed that those who took the

initiative to do the exercises were generally the active learners who would

respond to questions in class.

b) Tag Cloud

Besides the MCQ function, Dr. Yuen also used the Tag Cloud feature for

other pre-teaching activities. She once posted a question on iClass asking

students to brainstorm the functions of metal ions in the DNA polymerase.

The primary purpose was to get a picture of students’ background

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knowledge before teaching the content directly. Moreover, such

brainstorming activity encouraged students to conduct some pre-reading

to look up for what they do not know prior to the lecture.

Following the local curriculum reform, the class size of many university

courses, especially the common core course and introductory courses,

was greatly expanded to accommodate the increased student intake. As

Dr. Yuen suggested, in the past when class size was relatively small with

30 to 40 students, teachers could still manage in-class activities

conveniently, while students also felt more comfortable answering

questions in class. However, in a big class with 200 students, in-class

activities proved more difficult to be carried out. Students were generally

responsive when the teacher asked for a show of hands, but only the

active few would actually answer questions raised by the lecturer. Faced

with so many students at the same time, it was challenging to maintain

direct interaction with each student, collect their opinions or know if they

have understood the concepts. The interactive features of iClass, such as

the Keyword function, thus comes in timely as a tool to support in-class

activities by enabling the teacher to obtain an overview of students’ ideas

and respond to them.

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Case study: Master of Science Electrical and Electronic 6.6.

Engineering

Case: Share ideas and innovations

Teacher: Dr. Wilton Fok

Students: Master degree students

Subject: ELEC6098 E-Commerce and mobile commerce

While iClass supports the teaching of subjects that require more factual

knowledge such as Economics, it can also be used for innovative

activities that do not presuppose a specific correct answer. In one of the

classes of the course ELEC6098 E-Commerce and mobile commerce,

students were asked to draw an application or business model of mobile

commerce. Some students directly drew on their devices with the drawing

function, while some creatively captured and shared the screen of a

mobile application using the e-sticker function. This show-and-tell

practice encouraged the sharing of ideas among students and fostered an

interactive classroom atmosphere.

Other than the drawings and e-sticker features, idea sharing can also be

done via the keyword module. In the example below, Dr. Fok asked his

students to brainstorm the advantages of a business-to-business model.

The results were displayed in tag cloud view, with the central idea

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highlighted and enlarged. As shown, the most frequently appeared

keywords were “save money and time”, indicating that the majority of

students believed time and cost and efficiency was a merit of B2B model.

By identifying the core idea, the system enabled the teacher to narrow

down the scope of discussion and focus on a main idea. As Dr. Fok

elaborated, iClass enabled him to easily locate a focal point for discussion,

which was especially helpful in a big class consisting of students with

diversified opinions.

Case study: Master of Science – Energy Engineering6.7.

Case: Conduct Multi-dimensional discussion


Students: Master degree students

Subject: ELEC7047 sustainability and climate change

In addition to one-way discussion like the example above, iClass

supported multidimensional discussions by encouraging students to

discuss different aspects of an issue. In the course ELEC7047

sustainability and climate change, students were asked to brainstorm the

impacts of climate change and the possible solutions. After Dr. Fok

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posted the discussion question on the system, students logged into their

accounts and input their ideas by typing keywords under the “impacts”

and “solutions” column respectively.

While a tag cloud view showed the pool of ideas collected, the list view

sorted the ideas according to its contributor, pairing the impact and

solution suggested by each student. This highlighted the causal

relationship between ideas and helped students link up relevant concepts.

More importantly, such collection of students’ opinions supported

student-centered learning, allowing Dr. Fok to draw on their ideas as the

lesson proceeded. With a picture in mind of what students found most

important, Dr. Fok could adjust his teaching and direct more time and

focus on those specific ideas to make the lecture content more relevant to

students. Moreover, all the discussion content was digitalized and shared

to all students with the peer review function. This encouraged

collaborative learning and knowledge discovery among students in

today’s classroom, which no longer featured passive, top-down

transmission of knowledge from teachers to students but independent,

student-directed learning.

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Case Study: Faculty of Engineering6.8.

Case: Conduct concept test and mid-term quiz


Students: Undergraduates (Year 3)

Subject: ELEC2815 Finance, Economics and Marketing for Engineers

In this course, the quiz module was used to conduct the mid-term test set

in the format of multiple choice questions. After students completed the

test, the distribution of answers for each question was displayed in a pie

chart view, showing whether the majority of students opted for the correct

answer. As illustrated in the example below, the common mistakes were

option B and C, which received a similar percentage. Based on the pie

chart, Dr. Fok could easily identify students’ misconceptions and further

explain why statement 5 was incorrect while statement 4 was correct. In

addition to rectifying misunderstanding, the list view of the system sorted

the scores of students in descending order so that he could reward the

high performers to encourage them to keep up with the good effort.

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Apart from the mid-term quiz, Dr. Fok used iClass to carry out a concept

test with students before the delivery of lecture. Before teaching the

relevant concepts, students were first given a few blank graphs, on which

they were asked to draw curves indicating the income elasticity of

demand for different types of goods. Drawing from their background

knowledge and common sense, students drew the curves by judging how

a change in income level would affect the demand of different goods.

After the students submitted their answers, Dr. Fok could view the curves

easily and know if they have any big misconceptions on the topic.

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Through the system, he also identified interesting and unconventional

ideas within the class and invited those students to elaborate their answers.

In the example below, he asked a student to share his thought with the

class and explain why he drew a special shape curve for inferior goods.

Dr. Fok then followed up on his idea to stimulate more inspiring

discussion. With the support of iClass, the teacher could elicit responses

from all students more effectively, which is often difficult to do in the

past with a whiteboard and pen. As Dr. Fok explained, this exercise was

done once each year and students’ creative and valid ideas never failed to

surprise and impress him. Such kind of exercise is particularly crucial in

higher education which emphasizes the importance of cultivating students’

critical thinking skills.

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Chapter 7

Case studies:

Schools in Hong Kong

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7.1. Kwun Tong Government Primary School (Sau Ming Road)

Case: Provide immediate feedback and identify students’ mistakes

Teacher: Mr. Lau Ka Yiu

School: Kwun Tong Government Primary School (Sau Ming Road)

Students: Primary 4

Subject: Mathematics (Shapes & Areas)

iClass is not something new to both the teachers and students in Kwun

Tong Government Primary School, for they have been an iClass user for

several years already. In the past, iClass was used as a tool to facilitate

Chinese Language learning and its interactive features have proved

effective in arousing the learning interests of students who expressed

enthusiasm with this new mode of learning. Last year, Mr. Lau extended

the use of iClass and applied it to a Primary 4 Mathematics class that

consisted of 27 students with 2 people sharing an iPad. As with previous

cases, the results were equally encouraging.

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7.1.1. Example 1 – Fitting and Dissecting Shapes

Mr. Lau mainly used iClass for the unit on shapes and areas. In the

Primary 4 Mathematics curriculum, one core session is to teach students

how to fit and dissect various kinds of shapes. During class, students were

told to launch an app on Tangram, which they used to learn how to form

different shapes by fitting the seven 2D shapes. After arranging the pieces

and forming the shape as required by the teacher, the students captured

the screen shot and submitted their finished work to Mr. Lau through the

iClass system. Once they clicked the submit button, Mr. Lau immediately

received the students’ answers and got a clear picture of their progress.

With the real-time submission function, iClass enabled Mr. Lau to easily

identify the slower learners in class who might have a hard time catching

up or understanding the concepts. He could then call upon the groups that

had difficulty fitting and dissecting the right shapes and provided further

assistance.

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7.1.2. Example 2 – Measuring Areas

Other than using iClass to teach the chapter on shapes, Mr. Lau also

found the system particularly useful in teaching how to measure the areas

of different shapes. Before the class, Mr. Lau prepared various shapes in

a computer file and uploaded it onto iClass. He also prepared some

squared paper for students to measure the area of the shapes. During class,

students first downloaded the shapes from the system and counted the

number of units to measure the areas. Once they finished counting, they

submitted the answers to the system.

7.1.3. Teaching and Learning Effectiveness

a) Provide immediate feedback

To Mr. Lau, one of the major strengths of iClass was that it enabled

teachers to provide timely feedback to students during class. In the past,

when students learnt the session on area measurement, they counted the

units on worksheets and textbooks. Faced with a big class with many

students to attend to, the teacher had difficulty ensuring that all the

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students had grasped the main concepts, or knowing how well they

understood the materials. As the teacher could only check the final

answer on the worksheet, he could not know if the students had really

mastered the skill on measuring areas. On the other hand, with the

support of iClass, Mr. Lau could check students’ answers simultaneously,

track their learning progress closely and identified mistakes immediately.

For instance, sometimes students had difficulty fitting or dissecting

certain shapes but they did not understand what went wrong during the

process. As Mr. Lau explained, after students submitted the answers, he

would invite them to go out in front of the class and report their progress.

In particular, he would ask those who got the wrong answers to come to

him and try to understand their difficulties. With iClass, Mr. Lau could

identify precisely where the students got stuck at, resolve their doubts and

explain further so that they get a solid understanding of the concepts

before the end of class.

b) Increase engagement and interaction

In addition to enhancing learning effectiveness, iClass also fostered a

more engaging and interactive learning environment in the classroom. As

Mr. Lau observed, students demonstrated greater enthusiasm and

enjoyment in learning with the system. Throughout the lesson, they

participated actively and displayed a higher degree of concentration.

Instead of being easily distracted, every student was focused on the task

in hand and was fully engaged with the learning materials. This helped

create a better classroom atmosphere which not only helped Mr. Lau

deliver his lesson more smoothly but his students to learn more

effectively.

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7.2. Po Leung Kuk Chee Jing Yin Primary School

Case: Support student-centered learning and follow-up actions

Teacher: Mr. Li Chi Shing

School: Po Leung Kuk Chee Jing Yin Primary School

Students: Primary 5

Subject: Mathematics and English

Instead of being a stand-alone

system that operates outside the

school curriculum, iClass, as Mr.

Li explains, is a tool and platform

that can be integrated into different

subjects for teaching and learning

activities. In the school, iClass has

been used for core subjects such as

Chinese, English and Mathematics,

and is more commonly used in the

latter two which the school places

special emphasis on. When iClass

was first introduced in the school,

it was used in senior classes as the school wanted to know if the students

could manage to operate the system. During the trial period, students

demonstrated no difficulty using iClass, which was then later extended to

junior classes to support teaching and learning.

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7.2.1. Example 1 – Space and Directions in Mathematics

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iClass was used in two Primary 5 Mathematics classes, with each pair of

student sharing one iPad. In teaching the unit on space and directions, Mr.

Li found the drawing function particularly helpful. In the past when

students learn about directions, they learned the concepts on paper

without having the chance to apply it in real life situations. With the

support of iClass, Mr. Li could conduct interactive class activities more

effectively. One example he cited was a project on drawing route maps

for guests’ reference. He first provided general guidelines to students,

who then went to the real locations, took photos of the landmarks and

marked compass points. Afterwards, they used the drawing functions of

iClass, together with other apps such as the compass to combine all their

photos, handwritten materials and data to complete the project.

7.2.2. Example 2 – Writing Activities in English

Of the four core aspects in English Language learning, namely reading,

writing, listening and speaking, writing is the part in which iClass comes

in as particularly helpful as a sharing platform. During writing lessons,

teachers would set questions and post them onto the system.

Students are required to generate ideas withe “When”, “Who”, “Where”

and “What”

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Tag cloud

Pie chart List view

Pie chart, tag cloud and list view are good statistical tools for teacher to

collect the center ideas in the class

Upon completing the tasks, students could do real-time sharing and peer

review to look at the works of fellow classmates. Having all students’

works recorded and digitalized, teachers could conduct follow-up actions

based on the data provided and retrieve it at anytime in the future. When

used it tandem with other supporting softwares, iClass was integrated into

the daily English classes and enabled students to share, write and answer

questions immediately.

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7.2.3. Teaching and Learning Effectiveness

a) Enhance efficiency for class preparation

In preparing a Mathematics class such as the one mentioned above,

teachers always have to draft the content and run pretests for activities

before the lesson. To Mr. Li, one of the merits of iClass was that it

digitalized the teaching materials, allowing teachers to edit the content

conveniently on screen. In the past when they prepared questions for class

activities, the information on the documents might no longer be relevant

or accurate by the time they conducted the lesson. However with iClass,

the teacher could edit the materials immediately with a few clicks and

tabs.

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b) Increase learning interests and efficiency

With the introduction of iClass in the classroom, the teaching mode has

changed from the traditional teacher-centered one to the now student-

oriented one. As Mr. Li observed, this shift in focus has increased the

level of involvement and engagement of students. In the school, the

system was not only implemented in the classes with stronger students. It

was also used by the slower and less capable learners, hoping that the

technological support would boost their learning efficiency. The students’

response was very positive and the learner-centered mode has brought

about stronger learning interests. For instance, students could grasp

abstract concepts better with a more concrete sense of space and direction.

With their active participation and contribution, students also had a more

lasting impression of the things learnt in class.

c) Support follow-up activities

As Mr. Li identified, one of the major strengths of iClass was its support

for follow-up activities by digitalizing the data simultaneously when class

activities were carried out. The instant collection of data was useful for

both teachers and students. On the one hand, Mr. Li could post all the

findings of the groups in front of the class after the activities. He could

then follow-up and double check students’ progress to see if they have

missed any steps. On the other hand, with all their works recorded and

displayed, students could conduct self-evaluation and peer reviews. This

form of collaborative learning, which encourages students to learn not

only from their own mistakes but also their classmates’, makes learning a

much more interactive and enjoyable experience.

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Chapter 8

Case studies in

China

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8.1. Case 1: Yingxiu Secondary School

Student users in Yingxiu Secondary School represented quite a broad

spectrum, ranging from junior secondary one to senior secondary two.

The whole class was roughly divided into five groups, with each group of

six students sharing an iPad.

The main use of iClass was its Drawings function. Teachers posted

questions on the system and students presented their ideas in drawings or

simple vocabularies by using the drawing board. Afterwards, students

pressed the "send" button and submitted their answers to the central

Cloud, which were then displayed and shared in front of the whole class.

After collecting all submissions, the teacher asked students to explain

their answers and how they came to the conclusion. The teacher could

then understand the brainstorming process of the students and rectify any

misconceptions when necessary. For instance, for one of the questions,

most groups wrote a Chinese character wrongly. With the use of the

classroom screen, the teacher could easily identify which groups got the

wrong answers and corrected their mistakes on spot.

Despite the broad age range within the class, the classroom atmosphere

was extremely good. One of the reasons was that students displayed

enthusiasm after knowing that their answers would be displayed on the

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classroom screen and shared among the entire class. Students showed

positive responses and demonstrated they have put in thorough thoughts

when answering the teacher’s questions.

Other than that, as students had to share iPads in a group, they had more

chances to communicate with one another and exchange ideas. There

were heated discussions within groups from time to time, fostering the

interactive atmosphere in the class.

As students were instructed to submit answers as accurate and quick as

possible, the class was very attentive and remained focused while the

teacher delivered and explained the question. Moreover, students

exhibited great motivation in learning, probably due to the positive

competition among students during various class activities.

The use of iClass as a supportive tool increased the level of classroom

interaction and teaching effectiveness. Allowing teacher and students to

view all the contributions from the class on a central screen, the system

synchronized classroom activities and enabled immediate feedback

during class time.

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8.2. Case 2: Deyang Yuanjia School

In the school, iClass was applied in a Primary Five class consisting of 36

students. Although the majority of students were first time users of iClass,

they could easily master its operation after a brief introduction. In the

class, students were divided into groups of six. After the teacher posted

the questions, the students responded by drawing or writing on the

drawing board, and their submissions were displayed before the whole

class on the central screen. Each group was then asked to explain their

ideas and discussion process to fellow classmates.

As the teacher observed, there were

always some quiet and reserved

students in class who did not feel

comfortable expressing themselves

verbally, and teachers often had a

difficult time knowing whether these

students have grasped the concepts

taught in class or understanding their

thoughts on a particular topic. iClass,

with its multiple in-built functions,

encouraged students to express

themselves in whatever ways they felt

easy with, which in turn enabled

teachers to get a clearer picture of

students’ learning progress. This is

especially useful to the quieter or slower learners as the system helped

them stay engaged in class by increasing their level of participation.

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8.3. Case 3: Zhengdong Street Kindergarten

As the students aged six or under, they mainly used the Drawings

function which was the easiest to handle. The class was divided into 5

groups, each consisting of 8 to 10 students. The teacher first gave simple

instructions on what the students were expected to draw. After finishing

their works, students pressed the Cloud button to submit their works to

the system. This kind of exercise was designed mainly to cultivate the

kids’ ability to stay concentrated in class and follow the teacher’s

instructions closely.

One of the major advantages of using iClass in kindergarten classes is

that it helps to increase students’ concentration level. Very often,

kindergarten kids get distracted by their surroundings and demanded the

teacher’s attention, which could disrupt the lesson flow and affect the

learning efficiency of other students within the class. Using iPad as the

main teaching and learning tool, iClass has proved effective in avoiding

such situations by keeping students focused on either the iPad screen or

the teacher’s screen. With the visually stimulating graphics, students paid

more attention in class and would not lose their patience or temper easily.

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At the same time, the classroom atmosphere was very positive as

kindergarten kids always liked to perform and demonstrate their skills in

front of other classmates. Having their drawings displayed on the

teacher’s screen, they were motivated to participate in the classroom

activities as they felt their works were recognized and appreciated.

8.4. Case 4: Hangzhou No.14 Secondary School, Hangzhou, Zhejiang

iClass was new for the teachers and students at

Hangzhou #14 Secondary School when they

started using it at the beginning of the 2013-2014

school year. Thomas Merchant teaches Pre-

Calculus and Calculus at #14, and has been

actively exploring the potential of iClass to

support his instruction. During the past few

months, he has used iClass to teach 22 Senior 1

students, each of whom has an iPad.

The Use of iClass

a) Posting Responses

Mr. Merchant found that one of the major advantages of iClass was its

ability to assist him in conducting formative evaluations, a particularly

useful feature in the Chinese context where learning atmosphere was

often passive. It is often the case that Chinese students are too shy to

speak up in front of the class or raise their hands to ask questions, leaving

the teacher with the sometimes mistaken impression that the

understanding of a new topic is better than might actually be the case. As

iClass enabled students post individuals responses to the platform and

discuss their views, they feel less intimidated and more encouraged to

formulate and voice their own opinions. The teacher can more easily

track students’ progress and identify misconceptions and difficulties.

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Another feature of iClass is its ability to accommodate brainstorming and

keywords activities. The keyword function can be used to ask students to

brainstorm the expected objectives of a class, based on introductory

information they viewed the previous night. After submitting their ideas

to the system, the class can discuss the lesson objectives briefly, helping

both the teacher and students to reach the desired learning outcomes by

the end of the lesson.

b) Drawings

Another application of iClass is the use of its Drawings function in

plotting graphs, creating problems to solve, or listing steps to solve

mathematical questions. As Mr. Merchant explained, in a subject like

Calculus, there is often more than one correct answer to the same

question. By using the Drawings function to illustrate the possible

solutions, students see the different approaches to solving problems.

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c) Integrating iClass with other Apps

On top of using the built-in features of

the system, Mr. Merchant uses iClass in

conjunction with other Apps in his

teaching. For instance, he uses iClass

with PDF-Notes to distribute, collect, and

mark assignments. Students receive pre-

uploaded documents through the iClass

platform, then use PDF-Notes to

highlight or make notes on the document.

Their finished work can then be

submitted to the teacher through the

system or by email.

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iClass can also be used in conjunction with Doceri, an iPad interactive

whiteboard that features hand-drawn graphics and remote desktop control.

With the support of both applications, Mr. Merchant is able to walk

around the classroom holding his iPad, which students can use to project

their work to the front of the classroom. This feature allows the lesson to

proceed smoothly and be continuously interactive.

As Mr. Merchant concludes, iClass gives him an exceptionally effective

way to upload and collect documents in a centralized place, where he and

his students can share and explore work collaboratively. In addition to

being an all-in-one system, iClass is flexible and robust enough to

integrate with other Apps and teaching methods to support effective

learning.

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Following the rapid advancement in technology, new pedagogies and

learning models have been developed to accommodate the needs of our

ever-changing society. From the interactive features introduced in the

previous publication to the assessment module in this present work, we

have walked through the changing pedagogy, as well as a variety of

interactive functions provided by the iClass system, exploring the ways in

which technology can be integrated well into daily teaching as effective

tools to support and enhance learning.

Gone are the days when students sit passively in a classroom and learn

with a pen and textbook in hands. The emergence of the Internet and

other novel technology has changed the ways we live, communicate and

understand the world. We witness a shift in learning mode that redefines

the classroom experience, from traditional classroom teaching to

interactive learning with the use of electronic devices.

With the prevalence of electronic gadgets, the next wave of e-Learning

will find e-textbook in the spotlight again, but this time with a twist. As

observed, one major limitation of the present e-book technology is the

lack of interactivity, with limited interaction between students and the

machine. Through the iClass platform, dynamic interaction can be

fostered not only within a class but also between classes. At the same

time, the use of cloud technology enables students’ works that are

completed in class to be accessed anytime from home.

As things can be done in just a swipe or tab, it will not be long when

students no longer have to carry paper textbooks to schools and learn in

the traditional pen-and-paper mode. The digitalization of education also

generates useful data on students’ performance and offers effective

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information to move one step closer towards individualized education,

turning a once distant dream into a reachable one.

Considering the ever evolving and fast developing technologies, it is still

uncertain how things will unfold or where the next step will lead us into.

Yet one thing for sure is that more interesting discovery and promising

change are awaiting, and that the concerted efforts and devotion from

educators, scholars, teachers and students will elevate the learning

experience to a whole new level that is exciting and inspiring for all in

this new era.

To be continued…

http://www.pixelbread.hk/review/13-07-20-10255

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Web. 2 Nov. 2012.

2. “The Opportunities – and Risks – in the MOOC Business Model.”

The Wall Street Journal. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.

3. Duneier, Mitchell. “Teaching to the World from Central New Jersey.”

The Chronicle of High Education. Web. 3 Sep. 2012.

4. “Coursera Founder and UBC Professors Discuss MOOCs Space.”

The University of British Columbia. Web. 21 Aug. 2013.

5. Barber, Michael, Katelyn Donnelly and Saad Rizvi. An Avalanche is

Coming: Higher Education and the Revolution Ahead. US: Institute

of Public Policy Research. Web. 11 Mar. 2013.

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McFarlane A, Ruthven K, Winterbottom M (2007) Pedagogical

approaches for technology-integrated science teaching. Computer

Education, 48:137–152.

7. Newton, L. & Rogers, L. (2003) Thinking frameworks for planning

ICT in science lessons. School Science Review, 84 (309), 113-120.

8. Sutherland, R. (2004) Designs for learning: ICT and knowledge in

the classroom. Computers and Education, 43, 5-16.

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(2002). Promoting interaction in large classes with computer-

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We would like to acknowledge the following persons and organizations

for their contributions to this book (in alphabetical order of the surname)

Principal CHAN Cheuk Lin

Prof. Ying CHAN

Dr. Julie Yun CHEN

Dr. Weng Yee CHIN

Prof. CHOW Kwok Wing

Mr. LAU Ka Yiu

Mr. Chi Shing Ray LI

Principal Lai Man Edith TSE

Dr Alice Siu Ling WONG

Dr. Karen Wing Yee YUEN

Kwun Tong Government Primary School (Sau Ming Road)

Po Leung Kuk Chee Jing Yin Primary School

Yingxiu Secondary School

Deyang Yuanjia School

Zhengdong Street Kindergarten

Hangzhou #14 Secondary School

Technology Transfer Office, The University of Hong Kong

Knowledge Exchange Office, The University of Hong Kong

Education Bureau, HKSAR

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